Windshield cleaner



Jung 19, 1928.

1,674,037 F. G..FOLBERTH ET AL WINDSHIELD CLEANER Filed July 31, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l v A If 5 42% EA WMMN June 19'', 1928. 1,674,037

I F. G. FOLBERTH ET AL WINDSHI ELD CLEANER Filed July 31, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

rnnnnmcx e. roLBEnrn-ANn WILLIAM M. rornnza'rn, or CLEVELAND, onro, AS- srcnons To 'rnroo PnoDUoTs oonrona'rron, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, a con- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

Application filed July 31,

This invention relates to windshield cleaners, and more particularly to improvements in suction motors "designed to operate a cleaner member over the'windshield of a motor vehicle and adapted to be connected to the intake manifold to be operated there- An object of the invention is the provision of a cleaner motor in which the cylinder and is balanced at all times, or subjected to at-.

mospheric pressure on each side, which permits the use of a spring much weaker than those heretofore employed with valves of other types.

This construction also permits the use of shifting levers of much less tensile strength and the levers can, therefore, be made of fibre, hard rubber, or other non-metallic substances, changing the noise due to the reversal of the valves from a metallic to a non-metallic one.

In the accdmpanying drawings, we have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing: 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cleaner motor showing a cleaner arm and cleaner member secured thereto,

Figure 2 is a central vertical transverse sectional view,

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, Figure 4. is a. similar view looking in the opposite direction,

Figure 5\ is a vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the segment gear, and,

Figure valve actuating transmission.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the two halves of the cylinder. As shown, each half of the cylinder is formed of a tubular member' of pressed steel, which is closed at its outer end y a head 2 and open at its inner end, so

7 is a similar view of the valve and winnsnrnnn CLEANER.

1924. Serial No. 729,364.

that when the two sections are arranged in allnement, a closed cylinder is formed. The meeting edges of the cylinders are recessed to receive a closure plate 3 and this closure plate is provided with an enlargement 4, ex-

tending into the cylinder. A piston unit is arranged in the cylinder. As shown, this unit consists of a pair of piston heads and a rigid connecting member. The piston'heads are formed of disks 5, which are secured to each other by'means of bolts or screws 6. A strip of sultable packing material 7 is arranged between the disks and this strip of material is larger in diameter than the cylinder, forming a skirt 8. The connecting member consists of a bar 9, having downturned ends 10 which are adapted to receive thesorews 6 to secure the piston rods thereto. This member is provided with spaced openmgs 11, forming rack teeth.

The motor is provided with a transverse cleaner shaft 12, extending through a bore in. the closure plate 3 and the enlargement 4. The inner end of the shaft projects through the cylinder and is adapted to receive a handle 13, which is retained in positionby means of a set screw 14. This permits manual operation-of the shaft if the cleaner should fail to function. A block 15 in the form of a segment ofacircle is ar- 'ranged on the shaft and secured thereto by means of a set screw 16. As shown, the block is arranged above the center of the shaft. Adjacent one end, the block is provided with gear teeth 17 adapted to mesh with the rack formed in the connecting member.

The. enlar ement or wall 4 is provided with a longltudinal bore or valve seat 18 and a main suction passage or port 19 extends into this 'bore centrally thereof. As shown, the suction passage inclines downwardly and is provided with a control valve 20 at its outer end. The valve is provided with a suitable operating handle 21. A tube 22 extends from the suction passage to the exterior of the closure plate and is adaptedto be connected to a source of suction, such as the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine (not shown) by means of a suitable conduit (not shown). On each side of the suction port 19, there are provided casing ports-or passages 23 which communicate with the longitudinal bore 18 and which extend rearwardly through the closure plate in a substantially horizontal plane (see F igures 2 and 5). These passages communicate with longitudinally extending passages 24, the ends of which are connected to pipes or conduits 25, which communicate with the opposite ends of the cylinder through openings 26. V, 4

Suitable valve mechanism is provided to alternately place the suction conduit 19 in communication with each of the passages 23. As shown, the valve is arranged in the bore 18, and comprises the stem 27 with suitably spaced enlargements 28, which snugly fit the bore. The valve projects from the bore and is provided with another enlargement 29, having a groove 30 formed therein. The side of the enlargement 4.- is provided with a pair of rojecting arms 31 having depressions 32 in t eir upper faces. A valve actuating lever is adapted to be pivotally mounted in these depressions. As shown, the lever comprises a member 33 having ears or, trunnions 34, formed on opposite sides and adapted to be received in the depressions 32. The lower end of the valve operating lever ,is received in the groove 30 to move the valves when the lever swings on its pivot. The lever is provided with a central cut-out portion 35, anda valve actuating rod 36 passes through this cut-out portion. As shown (see Figure 3), the rod is slidably mounted in the enlargeinent4. A spring 37 connects the lever 33 to the rod 36. As shown, the spring is provided with a loop 38 on its upper end, which is secured to the top of the valve operating lever and is similarly provided with a loop 39 on its lower end, which is received in a groove in the valve operating rod.

The ends of the cylinder are secured to each other by means of a clamp 40, which is resilient-and extends around the meeting edges of the cylinder sections. As shown, the clamp is provided with notches which are adapted to receive lugs 41 formed on the lower portion of the closure plate (see Figure 5) and the upper end of the clamp 15 provided with a flange 42, adapted to receive bolts 43, which extend into the closure plate. While in practice the joint between the cylinder sections 1 and between these sections and the encircling band 40 is of such a nature as to readily admit atmospheric pressure into the space between the two pistons, for the purposes of illustration the shaft bearing in the band 40 and the abutting edges of the casing sections 1 have been shown with an air passage 12' throu h which atmospheric air may readily be admitted.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawin s, the motor is adapted to be arranged on the interior of the windshield frame and is secured thereto by suitable fastening elements (not shown). The motor shaft 12 passes through the frame 44. A suitable trans arent member 45, formed of glass or simi ar material, is arranged in the frame; and forms the windshield. A cleaner arm 46 is mounted in the projecting end of the shaft and is retained in position by means of a set screw 47. The cleaner-element 48 is secured to the arm 46 and is adapted to contact with the surface of the windshield to be cleaned.

On the side of the enlargement 4, adjacent the valve operating lever, there is provided a pair of projecting pins 49 and 50 which are adapted to form stops for the lever 33. As the lever swings in either direction, it engages one of these stops to pro erly position the enlargements 28 of t e valve with respect to the passage 19 and the passages 23.

In operation, the projecting tube 22 is connected to a suitable source of suction, such as the intake manifold of an engine, which places the suction passage 19 in communication with a source of suction when the valve 20 is open. The valve 20'may be opened or closed at the will of the operator to place the windshield cleaner in operation when desired. When the valve 20 is opened, the movement of the pistons in the cylinder automatically shifts or reverses the valve at the end of each stroke to connect the opposite end of the cylinder to the source of suction.

With the parts in the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the piston unit has just completed a stroke toward the ri ht end of the cylinder and the valves are shifted to place the left end of the cylinder in-communication with the source of suction. The enlargements 28 are so arranged that the left passage 23 and the suction passage 19 are in communication with each other through the bore 18 and the right passage 23 is cut off from the suction passage by the enlargement at the right end of the valve. This causes the pistons to move toward the left. As the pistons approach the end of their stroke, the piston head engages the right end of the rod 36, moving the rod toward the left and thus moving the lower end of the spring. When the center line of the spring passes the pivot point of the lever 33, the lever is swung in a counter-clockwise direction, to shift the valve to the right. The enlargement at the right' .end of the valve will move beyond the right passage 23 and the other enlargement 28 will assume a position between the left passage23 and the suction passage 19. This will establish communication between the suction passage 19 and the right end of the cylinder, causing the piston to move in the opposite direction. At the end of the return stroke, the other piston head engages the left end of the rod 36 and the reverse opera-tion takes place, the lever 33 swinging in a clockwise direction to assume the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the valve is a balanced valve, that is, each outer end thereof is exposed to atmospheric pressure at all times, and this permits the use of a weaker spring than has heretofore been employed for shifting the valve, thus reducing the noise incident to the reversal of the motor. The valve lever 33 and the rod 36 in this construction may be made of non-metallic substance, eliminating the metallic noise heretofore encountered when the valve is shifted.

It is to be understood that the form 0 our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes'in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

lrVe claim:

1. In a windshield cleaner motor, a casing having a medial wall provided with a valve seat, said seat having a suction port and and spaced casing orts, the latter ports communicating with tie opposite ends of the casing, a slide valve movable on the seat to connect the suction port alternately to the casing ports, a pair of connected pistons in the casing on opposite sides of the medial wall, a lever pivotally supported by the Wall for swinging in a plane parallel to the direction of movement of said valve, said lever being engaged at one end with the valve, 21. valve actuating rod slidably mounted in the wall and alternately engageable by the pistons for being shifted back and forth, and a spring connecting the rod to the opposite end of the lever and shiftable by said rod to opposite sides of, the pivotal mounting of said lever.

2. In a windshield cleaner motor, a casing, a plate arranged on said casing and provided with an enlargement extending into said casing, said enlargement being provided with a longitudinal bore, a. movable member mounted in said casing, a valve mounted in said bore and adapted to alternately connect said casing on opposite sides of said movable member to a source of differential pressure, a pivoted lever connected to said valve, a slidable rod mounted in said enlargement and adapted to be engaged by said movable member at the end of each stroke, and a spring connecting said lever and said rod.

3. A device constructed in accordance with claim 2 wherein said enlargement is provided with a pair of spaced projections on one side and said lever is provided with a pair of cars adapted to be received in said projections to pivotally support said lever.

4. In a windshield'cleaner motor, a casing, 21 plate arranged on said casing and provided with an enlargement extending into said casing, said enlargement being provided with a longitudinal bore, and being further provided with a main suction passage communicating with said bore, said enlargement being also provided with passages arranged on each side of said suction passage and communito move said-rod, and a spring connecting said rod and said lever.

5. In a windshield cleaner motor, a casing having a medial wall provided with a valve seat, said seat having a suction port and spaced casing ports, the latter ports communicating with the opposite ends of the casing, a slide valve movable on the seat to connect the suction port alternately to the casing ports, a pair of connected pistons 1n the casing on opposite sides of the medial wall, a lever having oppositely and laterally extending pivot ears and an elongated opening extending between the ears transversely of the pivoting axis thereof, said wall having spaced hearings in which the ears journal and between which the lever is disposed, said lever being engaged at one end With the valve to operate the same, a piston-operated rod slid'ably mounted in the wall and through the opening of the lever, and a spring connecting the opposite end of the lever to the rod and movable by the latter through the opening of the lever to opposite sides of the pivotal mounting of the lever.

6. In a windshield cleaner motor, a casing part having spaced bearings, a lever member having lateral trunnions journaled 'in the bearings and having its ends extending above and below said bearings, said lever member having a longitudinal opening extending above and below and between the trunnions and closed at its upper and lower ends, a valve operatively connected to the lower end of the lever which extends betweensaid bearings and at a point below the bearings, a spring secured at one end to the upper end of the lever and movable through the lever opening to opposite sides of the pivotal mounting of the lever for snapping the lever back and forth and thereby actuating the valve, .and a spring shifting member connected to the opposite end of the spring and movable back and forth through the lever opening and acting to prevent displacement of the trunnions from their bearmgs.

' opening into the casing at opposite sides of 7. In a windshield cleaner motor, a casing posed suction port leading thereinto, a piston mounted in the casing, the cylinder ports the piston and the suction port being adapted for connection toa source of suction, a valve slidable in the bore for operatively establishing communication between the suction port and the cylinder ports to alternately connect said casing on opposite sides of said piston to a source of suction, said valve comprising astem and spaced enlargements formed on the stem, said enlargements acting alternately to close the cylinder ports to the suction port, a valve actuating member connected to said valve to actuate it, a spring positioning member operable by and during movement of said piston, and a spring connecting said valve actuating member and said positioning member and adapted to be positioned by the latter for operating said valve actuating member.

In testimony whereof, we afiix our signatures.

FREDERICK G. FOLBERTH. WILLIAM M. FOLBERTH. 

